Young Entrepreneurs Learn Their Craft at English

The high school’s Entrepreneurship Class hosted a community-wide Holiday Bazaar.

Wagner RíosJamaicaplain.patch.com

On Thursday, 22 English High Entrepreneurship Class students tested their newly-acquired business acumen by offering a variety of items for sale at the high school.

There was a festive atmosphere with dozens of youths — either Entrepreneurship Class participants or organizers and helpers — exhibiting a variety of items in colorful displays, and encouraging the public to make their holiday purchases. Class participants where distinguishable by their business attire.

Program organizers Meredith Innis and Wendy Lai lived and studied micro entrepreneurship (business initiatives funded with very small amounts of capital) in the Dominican Republic as 2010 Fund for Teachers Fellows.

The Fund for Teachers provides resources for educators to investigate their own areas of inquiry and then share their research and discoveries with their students. Both English High Entrepreneurship Class founders are now applying their learning to help students explore business opportunities.

Shortly after 10:00 am customers begun trickling in.

Lai explained that “A group of 22 students received a $50 loan each from the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, and after a careful market analysis purchased season items such as warm cloths, sports memorabilia, jewelry, gadgets popular with high school students like phone chargers, etc. The goal is to make a profit from the sale of the merchandise, part of which will be invested in micro entrepreneurship programs in developing countries.”

“I enrolled in the program” said student Armando Cruz, “to explore career choices: to decide whether I want to go into business by myself or into management; to look into different possibilities.”

The program provides a combination of classroom instruction and real world experience. The class studied business principles during the fall, and then traveled to New York City’s Garment District to purchase the items that were for sale at the bazaar.

The Entrepreneurship Class runs a store at English High where students and faculty may purchase refreshments and other convenient items. The outlet provides students with hands-on experience in the basics of running a business.

The public had an opportunity to see future business leaders of Jamaica Plain and other areas of Boston in action, displaying their recently learned business skills and polished professionalism.